Candied Ginger Shortbread Cookies (Biscuits)

Thick & Buttery Shortbread Cookies//Candied Ginger//Sugar Dusted

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A little while ago, I shared my version of the now-iconic Ted Lasso biscuits — thick, buttery shortbread cookies that I honestly believe are the best on the internet. (I know, bold statement, but after rounds of testing, I stand by it.) They’re everything shortbread should be: so moist it practically melts on your tongue, rich with buttery flavor, and balanced with just the right hit of salt. Every bite has these tiny pockets of sweetness and saltiness working together in harmony — it’s magic, plain and simple.

But here’s the thing: once I perfected that recipe, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the directions it could go. The base is so good, so reliable, that it practically begs for spin-offs. I mentioned in my last post how Ted Lasso inspired the original, but this time the inspiration is more personal — I’m just in a full-blown shortbread obsession. Consider this the beginning of a little mini-series of shortbread flavours I can’t stop dreaming up.

First up: candied ginger. Those chewy little nuggets tucked into the buttery dough add a soft sparkle of flavor — warm, slightly spicy, and so perfect against the richness of the shortbread. It’s a subtle twist, but one that feels modern and fun, and it makes each bite just a little more interesting. Honestly, ginger + butter = a match made in cookie heaven.

For this batch, I used an organic store-bought candied ginger that I actually found at Costco (a great shortcut if you see it there!). If you want to go the homemade route, you absolutely can — I’ve made candied ginger myself before, and it’s not difficult at all. A quick Google search will give you plenty of easy methods, and homemade is always delicious. But honestly, one of the things I love most about this shortbread recipe is just how quick and easy it is. I’m known for making big, elaborate cakes, and I’m having so much fun in my baking life right now making something that’s equally delicious but so darn fast to whip up.

So if you loved my Ted Lasso biscuits, you’re going to love this playful version. And don’t worry — there are more flavors coming soon. I can’t wait to keep sharing them with you, but for now, let’s start with this golden, gingery beauty.

Recipe:

Makes 1 (8x8x2 inch) tray

Notes

• It’s vital to this recipe (if you want them to be perfect, anyway), that you use both the usual pink salt that has small granules, as well as a nice flaky salt. The smaller granules lend flavour to the baseline dough, and then the bigger flakes provide the most delicious bursts of flavour in little pockets here and there. Be precise with the measurements, and make sure you follow the instructions of having 2 salts of differently sized granules. If you don’t have pink salt, that’s fine, just use another salt with smaller granules - the size is the important part.

• Make sure you use the 8x8x2 inch tray called for. This makes them nice and tall, allowing for an exterior with a nice bite to it, and a supremely soft and moist interior. The baking time is also specific to achieving this result for this exact pan size.

• Follow the bake time and temperature exactly the first time you make these. This is how I like mine - a light crunch on the outside and a super soft interior. If you decide you like a crunchier exterior, and want to experiment, increase the oven temperature to 350, and decrease the bake time by 10 minutes for starters. But I wouldn’t just leave the oven temperature at 325 and increase the bake time, as this will yield a less moist centre.

• As a general baking note - all ovens are different. So the times and temperatures that I write are for what I feel a normal, well-functioning oven, would call for. When I'm working with a weaker oven, I like to try to figure out how many degrees I need to increase the temperature by to reach the "normal" power level I'm used to. Obviously that takes trial and error, but I recommend figuring that out instead of increasing the baking time all the time. You'll get better results that way.

Shortbread

Ingredients

• 315 g butter, room-temperature

• 150 g powdered sugar

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 + 1/8 tsp salt (pink Himalayan)

• 3/4 tsp flaky sea salt

• 100-125 g candied ginger (just depending on if you feel like a little or a lot!)

• 345 g all-purpose flour

• Sugar, for dusting - just a few spoonfuls

  
  

Instructions

1. Butter an 8x8x2 inch baking tray, and line it with a parchment sling.

2. Place butter in a large bowl. Sift in the powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and pink salt (or the finer of the 2 salts you’re using).

3. First combine on low speed with an electric mixer, and then increase speed and beat on high for 2 minutes.

4. Add in the flaky sea salt. Combine on low speed.

5. Chop the candied ginger up into little chunks. Add it to the bowl and combine on low.

6. Sift in the flour. Combine on low speed. Do not over-mix.

7. Scoop the batter into the prepared baking tray. Roughly spread it out with a spatula or slightly wet hands.

8. Cut a large piece of plastic wrap, and lay it over the dough. Use the back of a wooden spoon (or anything smooth that won’t stick to the plastic; I find metal spoons do), and run it over the dough until it’s totally smooth and evenly dispersed.

9. Discard the plastic wrap, and place the tray in the fridge for 30 minutes. When you’re 20 minutes into this waiting time, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and ensure that the oven rack is positioned in the middle.

10. Remove the tray from the fridge, and prick the dough all over with a fork - about 15-20 pricks. I like to do this in lines, to help me to later see where I want to cut my cookies, but it doesn’t really matter.

11. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is a lovely golden colour.

12. Remove from oven, and let sit for 5 minutes. Place a cutting board right next to the baking tray. Then, lift up the parchment sling in a swift motion, and place it on the cutting board.

13. Immediately sprinkle some sugar overtop. How much you use is totally up to you! I probably used 4-5 tablespoons (I was on the generous side), but you can do a thinner layer, or you can omit the sugar entirely if you don’t like that. You can also do a glaze (wait for them to cool first if you're going this route).

14. Let the shortbread cool completely. Then, slice into pieces. I like to cut it into 12 rectangles - first cut it into 6 strips, and then once down the centre the opposite way. This admittedly makes pretty big biscuits, but I find despite them being so rich and moreish, once you take your first bite, you’ll probably find them to be the perfect size!

15. You can eat them immediately. They’re a slight bit better on day 2 (the butter seeps into the flour even more so - cakes are like this too), so I’d make them the day before or several hours before an important event if you want absolute perfection, but they’re truthfully wonderful straight away! Store the shortbread in an airtight container or on a plate covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature. These are excellent for 3-4 days.

16. Enjoy! And feel free to make yourself a nice latte or tea latte to go with them.

    
    

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